The present invention relates generally to mobile machines, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for conserving power on an machine having a mobile communicator.
A mobile communicator may be used on an earth moving machine to communicate with a remote data facility. The mobile communicator may receive machine parameters and associated information from the machine and deliver the information to the remote data facility continuously, intermittently, periodically, or when requested to by the remote data facility. The communicators are generally in a fully powered state when they communicate with the remote data facility. However, leaving the communicator in a fully powered state all the time will drain the battery on the earth moving machine, if the machine engine is not running.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems identified above.
In one aspect of the present invention, a method for conserving power on an machine having a mobile communicator is disclosed. The method includes the steps of determining a current status of the earth moving machine, determining a duration since entering the current status, and determining one of a plurality of power conservation modes in response to the current status duration.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method for conserving power on a machine having a mobile communicator is disclosed. The method includes the steps of determining a current status of the machine, determining a duration since entering the current status, determining a duration of a current power conservation mode, and determining a subsequent power conservation mode in response to the status, duration, and the current mode duration.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for conserving power on an machine having a mobile communicator and an engine is disclosed. The apparatus includes a timing mechanism adapted to generate a timing signal, and a controller adapted to receive the timing signal, determine a current status of the machine, determine a status duration in response to said timing signal, and determine one of a plurality of power conservation modes in response to said status duration.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for conserving power on an machine having a mobile communicator and an engine, is disclosed. The apparatus includes a timing mechanism adapted to generate a timing signal, and a controller adapted to receive said timing signal, determine a current status of the machine, determine a status duration in response to said timing signal, determine a current power conservation mode, and select one of a plurality of subsequent power conservation modes in response to the current status duration, and the current mode duration.